Neighbors: Oliver Street is Crumbling

WILKES-BARRE — 15 people who live along Oliver Street in the Parsons section of Wilkes-Barre said they want cracks that run up and down the asphalt fixed, as well as part of the retaining wall collapsed into Laurel Run.

Newswatch 16’s Peggy Lee reported live at the scene that evening a little over a year ago when heavy rains forced crews to sandbag the wall shortly after it collapsed.

Barriers have been in place ever since.

“We have 10 people over the age of 65, eight people with disabilities, fire truck can`t get up. This bridge isn`t safe for kids to get on in the morning,” said Joyce Allen, of Wilkes-Barre.

Joyce and her 95-year-old grandmother Isabel said they’re concerned that large vehicles have to back up the street because access to Oliver Street from Scott Street is closed.

“I just think it should be taken care of. There are so many people on this street that are not as old as i am up in age and it`s really bad,” said Isabel Yochem, of Wilkes-Barre.

Neighbors said since the flash flood a year ago bits and pieces of this section have been falling down every day with chunks of asphalt just breaking off.

Lenny Hess is the father of two young boys and he’s concerned about the safety of the area.

“It falling by our house. The city is aware of it, but they haven`t done nothing about it so far. There`s a bus stop here in front of this and children are here getting ready to go to school,” said Hess.

City officials said work permits have delayed construction work on the federally funded project to fix Oliver Street and the retaining wall is scheduled to begin Monday.